Imran reviews Pak's gas crisis, asks officials to fast-track exploration

Amid the ongoing gas crisis, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a high-level meeting to review what he described as the "gas situation".

Amid the ongoing gas crisis, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a high-level meeting on Wednesday to review what he described as the "gas situation" in Pakistan.

"Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI chaired a high-level meeting to review gas situation in Pakistan. The meeting was briefed about the demand and supply from domestic reserves, shortfall and import of liquefied natural gas (LNG)," Pakistan Prime Minister's Office said in a tweet.

In a meeting attended by top-level cabinet ministers, Imran Khan directed officials to fast-track licences for domestic exploration, calling it the "cheapest source of natural gas," Dawn newspaper reported.

"He also directed the concerned departments to remove hurdles in the process of installation of new LNG terminals and virtual pipeline projects by investors," the Pak PMO said.

During the meeting, the Pakistan PM also directed the departments concerned to remove hurdles in the process of installing new LNG terminals and virtual pipeline projects by investors.

Earlier this week, Pakistan's Federal Energy Minister Hammad Azhar blamed the legal hitch for its inability to meet domestic gas needs.

Azhar had said domestic consumers' gas needs in winter are met by curtailing supply to non-export general industries and captive power plants. However, this year the Sindh High Court (SHC) issued a stay order on the curtailment, the minister added.

The minister said the gas demand of domestic consumers had increased by 3 to 5 per cent in the winter season, which was met by curtailing the supply to other sectors as per the priority list set by the government, Dawn newspaper reported.

Experts say that people in Pakistan don't have enough to cook their daily meals because successive governments handed out gas connections like sweet cakes.

Gas has typically been cheap and readily available however, Pakistanis are now struggling to cope with hours-long gas outages, according to Turkish Radio and Television (TRT).

Notably, household consumers in the country have also seen a sharp increase in their monthly bills.